Waterproof line connector



Feb. 19, 1957 R- E, KlRK 2,782,391

WATERPROOF LINE CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 2, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

` 3055/375. KIRK United States Patent O 2,782,391 WATERPROOF LINECONNECTOR Robert E. Kirk, Warren, Ohio, assignor to General Motors lThis invention relates generally to electrical connectors primarily foruse in automotive vehicles which are usually known as line connectors orY connectors and are generally adapted to receive plug connectorterminals of the snap type.

At the present time certain automotive vehicles, particularly vehiclesfor military use, are designed to operate under conditions where suchvehicles are partly submerged and some of the electrical conductingwires for carrying current to lamps and other instrumentalities areentirely submerged in water so that under some conditions connectorsused to connect some of these wires together are also submerged.

Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provideelectrical connectors of the type referred to which are completelywaterproof, are inexpensive, easy to manufacture, which can be readilyconnected :and disconnected but which, when connected are held `togetherwith suicient force to prevent any accidental rseparation or any waterfrom reaching the terminals which are attached to the conducting wires.

According to the present invention, these objects are attained by theprovision of telescoping sleeves of suitable waterproof and resilientinsulating material which surround the male and female terminals thatare secured to the conducting wires and which have a leakproof t witheach other and `also a sufficiently tight lit with the outer surface ofthe covering of said conducting wires to prevent any leakage of wateralong such surface 'into the space within said sleeves in which theterminals :are positioned. These sleeves also have, respectively, anexternal groove and cooperating 'internal bead which are lin engagementwhen the terminals are connected and are l'of such dimensions that saidbead holds the sleeves together with such force that accidentalseparation is subfstantially impossible, and also the bead and groovecomprise a substantially leakproof 'joint when the parts of ftheconnector are in properly assembled or connected position, and aid inpreventing any water reaching the l'connecting terminals. Also, a sleeveof substantially rigid insulating material may be positioned around suchterminals and between said terminals and the inner surface of the innertelescoping sleeve for protective purposes.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present inventionl isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a section through a line connector constructed according tothe present invention;

Figure 2 is a similar section of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 3 is a similar section through a connector of the Y tYPe- Figure4 Yis a fragmentary section' showing the con- `struction of a part ofthe female terminal.

ice

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view ofthe form of connector shown in Fig. 2seen in the direction of the arrow.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, the outer surface of one of theconducting wires is indicated at 1. ,Conducting wires have various typesof covering including insulating material of various kinds andanyconventional type of conductor may be used, so long as the outersurface thereof is smooth enough to form a leakproof joint with certainsleeves, later described, which fit tightly on the outer surface of suchconducting wires.' To this wire is connected the male terminal 1a whichhas askirt portion 2 surrounding the outer surface of the conductor 1vand a smaller portion 3 which extends into the female terminal and isindicated in dotted lines in the drawings. This part of the terminal hasa tapered surface 4 to facilitate connection of the terminal with itscooperating terminal and a groove 5 which is engaged by a tongue Von thecooperating terminal, when the terminals are connected, to hold them insuch position.

The outer surface of the conducting wire which is connected inelectrical contact with the wire 1, is desig nated at 6 and to the endof this wire is connected, in the usual way, the female terminal 6a,which receives the male terminal previously referred to and is of wellknown construction, not forming any part of the present invention. Thisterminal comprises tangs 7 and 8 which are crimped around the outersurface of the conductor 6, tangs 9 and 10 which Vare bent down to clampthe conducting Wire itself as indicated in Fig. l and parts 11 Vand 12which are bent so as to form a sort of cut-away sleeve into which themale terminal projects. As shown in Fig. 4 a spring tongue is cut out ofthe terminal at a Vpoint substantially opposite the spaceV between theparts 11 and 12. This tongue projects inwardly as indicated in Fig. 4and is adapted to engage the groove 5 when the terminals are connectedtogether in proper position, to hold the terminals in that position.This finger 13 exerts sufcient pressure generally to prevent anyaccidental separation of the terminals and to manually pull theterminals apart requires the exertion of considerable force. Theconductors and connecting terminals which have been described are of rwell-known construction and do not constitute any part of the presentinvention, and any suitable specic form of terminals and conductingWires can be used.

According to the present invention, there is provided an inner sleevedesignated generally at 15, which is carried by the conducting wire 6and surrounds the female terminal, when properly positioned on theconducting element. This sleeve is formed of any suitable resilientwaterproof insulating material, preferably a synthetic rubber compoundsuch as Buna N, but other materials of a generally similar nature can beemployed. This sleeve has a reduced portion 16 which has a tight enoughfit on the outer surface of the connector' to prevent passage of waterbetween it and the conductor, and a larger portion 17, which surroundsthe female terminal and the inside diameter of which is greater thanthat of the terminal so that a space 'is provided between the terminaland the -inner surface of the Isleeve. Positioned in this space is aninsulating and protective sleeve 'Y This portion of the sleeveis largeenough to receive the smaller part of the female terminal which includesYthe tangs by means of which the terminal is secured to thec-ondctor, "Ashoulder 20 is foi-medion the sleeve 18 where the above-describeddiameters meet and this shoulder engages the tangs 7 and S when vtheparts are in assembled position and the conducting wir-es are connected.

As illustrated, atthe right end of the sleeve 18, where the femaleterminal surrounds the male terminal, the inner diameter of the sleevehas to be somewhat larger than that part of the sleeve immediately tothe left thereof in order to receive the larger part of the femaleterminal. Accordingly, both the inside and outside diameters of thesleeve 18 are somewhat enlarged at its right end. A shoulder 21 isformed at the left end of the enlarged part of the sleeve 18 and thisshoulder is engaged by a cooperating shoulder on the inner surface ofthe sleeve 15 when the various parts, particularly sleeves 15 and 18 arein properly assembled position.

When the parts of the connector are assembled as shown in the drawings,the sleeve 15 is received within an outer sleeve 22 of the same kind ofresilient and water-proof insulating material, and has a tight enoughlit therewith to prevent leakage between the two sleeves. This sleeve 22has a reduced portion 23 similar to the part 16 of sleeve 15 which has atight enough lit with the outer surface of conductor 1 to preventadmission of water to the space within the sleeve 22. Positioned on theconductor 1 adjacent the skirt 2 of the male terminal is a washer 24which, when the parts are in the assembled position shown in Fig. l, isclamped between the skirt 2 and a shoulder 25 on the lSleeve 22.

The left end of sleeve 22 is enlarged to form the chamber 26 in whichthe outer surface of the enlarged part 17 of sleeve 15 fits tightly, asdescribed, and at the left end of sleeve 22 there is formed an inwardlyprojecting bead 27 which is adapted to snap into a cooperating groove 28formed on the outer surface of the sleeve 15. The size of this bead issuch that when the part-s are assembled as shown in Fig. 1, asubstantially leakproof joint is formed between the bead and groove Vandthe sleeves are held together with such a force that a very considerablepull upon the sleeves is necessary to separate them.

Under some circumstances, both male and female parts of thevcompleteconnector above-described Vmay not be available, Iand it would bedesirable, for example, to use .the female half of such connector andthe male ,half of another connector of diiferent design and rat Athesame time form a waterproof connection. A device of this kind is shownin Fig. 2, in which the female half `of the connector already describedis used with `the cooperating or complementary male `half of a Douglasvtype connector to form a waterproof connecting means for two conductingwires. In this form of connecting means the conductor 6, the femaleterminal, sleeves -15 and 18 are of exactly the same construction shown-in Figure l and need not be further described, but what might be calledthe male half of the connecting 4means is considerably different, aswill be apparent Vupon consideration of the drawings.

In the device of Fig. 2, the conducting wire 1 is se- .cured in anydesirable way to a male terminal which is very similar to that shown inFig. 1 but the skirt 30 of such terminal, which corresponds to the skirt2 and which extends over the outer surface of the conductor 1, is ofsomewhat different design while the outer lsleeve 22 and the collar 24are not used. The outer surface of the skirt 30 is tapered, as indicatedat 31 and `the skirt is surrounded by a grommet 32 lof suitable exibleand waterproof insulating material. `At the lright end the inner surfaceof this grommet is of cylindrical form and of such diameter as to have aleakproof t with the outer surface of the conductor 1, while anintermediate part of the grommet is tapered as indicated at 33 toacooperate with the tapered surface 31 of the terminal skirt, and theouter surface of the grommet, at this point in its length, is alsotapered as at 34 for a purpose later set forth. The grommet extends tothe left of the skirt 30 where its inner diameter is reduced to titclosely around the terminal at the left of the skirt, as indicated inFig. 2. At the right end of this reduced diameter is a shoulder 35 whichengages a cooperating shoulder 36 formed by the left end of skirt 30when the parts are assembled as shown. The outer surface of the grommetvis Ytapered Aat the left end thereof as indicated at 37 and thissurface engages the beveled surface 38 on the right end of the sleeve 18with suicient pressure to form a leakproof joint when the parts are heldtogether in the assembled position of Fig. 2 by means later described.

Surrounding the grommet 32 is a short metal sleeve 39 the right end 40of which is of cylindrical form and of a diameter substantially that ofthe outer diameter of the grommet while the left end 41 is flared, for apurpose that will be apparent.

As already stated, the outer sleeve 22 of Fig. l is not present and thegroove 28 of the inner sleeve 15 is without function in the device shownin Fig. 2. To hold the parts in assembled position and to preventadmission of any water to the space surrounding the connected terminals,two metal shells 42 and 43 are provided which are held together by anysuitable means, for example, the bayonet joint shown in Fig. 5comprising the lug 44 projecting from the shell 42 and the cooperatingslot 45 formed in shell 43. The shell 42 is of the same shape as theouter surface of sleeve 15 and of such size that it will fit closely onthe outer surface of the sleeve, as shown in the drawings. The shell 43has a cylindrical portion which fits around the cylindrical part 40 ofsleeve 39 and a tapered part 47 which engages the liared portion 41 ofsleeve 39. When the shells 42 and 43 are pressed toward each `other andlocked in position by means of the previously described bayonet joint,sufficient pressure is exerted by such shells on the sleeve 15 and theare 4l that leakage is prevented between shell 42 and sleeve 15, betweenshell 43 and flare 41, between are 41 and the grommet 32 and between thetapered surfaces 3'7 and 38. Also, the pressure exerted by the shellsprevents leakage between the tapered surface 33 of the grommet 32 andthe tapered surface 31 of the male terminal, as well as tending toincrease the tightness of the fit between sleeve 15 and the conductor 6.

The Y connector shown in Fig. 3 has an outer sleeve 50 which is soshaped as to have three chambers 51 formed -therein and each of thesechambers is adapted to receive a sleeve 52 corresponding to the sleeve15 and surrounding a female terminal of the same type as shown in Fig.1, and connected in the same way to a conducting wire 53 as the femaleterminal of Fig. l is connected to the conductor `6. The constructionand arrangement of these parts need not be fully described7 as each isjust the same as shown in Fig. l and previously fully described.

It will be noted that in the device of Fig. 3 no one of the conductingwires 53 is connected with a male terminal but, instead, each of thethree wires 53 (only :two of which are shown), is connected to a femaleterminal and the three cooperating male terminals 54 are supported by aplate 55 which, with the terminals 54 secured thereto, is molded in theouter sleeve 50 when such sleeve is formed. Each of the terminals 54 hasa reduced portion 56 extending through a suitable opening in the plate55 and the terminals are secured in position on the plate by riveting asshown, or in any other suitable way. It will be noted that one of theterminals 54 projects to the right of plate 55 while the other twoextend to the left, so that by means of the connector illustrated, thesingle conducting wire 53 extending to ythe right is electricallyconnected to two wires 53 extending to the left.

The sleeve 56 at the open end of each of the chambers 51 is providedwith a bead 57 which is similar to :the bead 27 and which is adapzed toengage a groove 58, similar to groove 28, `on each sleeve S2 when suchsleeves are inserted in the chambers 51 as shown in Fig. 3. Thesecooperating beads and grooves perform the same functions in the deviceof Fig. 3 as do the corresponding bead and groove in the device of Fig.1.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. A leakproof electrical connector adapted to be held together withsucient force to prevent any accidental separation, comprising, aplurality of electrical conducting elements having an insulatingcovering, a male terminal with an annular skirt attached to an end ofone of said conducting elements, :an outer resilient in-sulating sleevehaving a chamber in one end and `an opening in the yother end sealinglyengageable with the insulating covering of said one conducting element,a Washer engageable between a wall of the chamber about the opening :andthe sk-irt of said male terminal to hold said male Iterminal in positionsecurely against separation through the opening of said insulatingsleeve, a female terminal connected to an end of a second conductingelement and engageable by said male terminal, `an insulating andprotective sleeve member having multiple internal diameters of whichyone forms a shoulder engaging one end of said female terminal to holdsaid terminal en- |tirely within said sleeve member against separationthrough one end thereof, la -sleeve body having an opening in one endsealingly engageable with :the insulating covering of the secondconducting element and having a chamber in the other end, a shoulderformed inside -said sleeve body at one side of the chamber engageab'leby said protective sleeve member holding said sleeve member with saidfemale terminal securely against sepa-ration through the opening of said-sleeve body, said sleeve body having an annular groove formed on theouter surface thereof intermediate opposite ends of sai-d body, Iand vaninwardly projecting bead formed on said outer sleeve at the chamber endremote from the opening iat one side, said bead being adapted to snapinto and cooperate With :the annular groove of said sleeve body, saidwasher and said sleeve member cooperating with said outer sleeve andsaid sleeve body respectively together with said bead and groove to lock:said male and female tected from accidental separation.

2. A waterproof electrical connecting means adapted to connect togetherin electrically conducting relation a plurality of electrical conductingelements in combination, comprising, a first resilient sleeve having achiamber formed therein, a rst conducting element extending into thechamber in sealing engagement with one end thereof, a male terminalconnected with said conducting element, means including a terminal skirtcoopera'ble with -a wall of said first sleeve securing said maleterminal against separation from the chamber through an end opening ofsaid first sleeve, :a second resilient sleeve, a second conduct-ingelement sealingly `engaged with said second resilient sleeve through anopening at one end thereof, a female terminal connected with said secondconducting element and positioned within said second sleeve to beengageable with said male terminal, said second resilient sleeve havinga chamber forming a shoulder adjacent the opening engaged by said secondconducting element, a sleeve member of non-resilient protective materialentirely surrounding said female terminal Within the lchamber of saidsecond resilient sleeve, said sleeve member being formed to occupy thefull length of the chamber of said secon-d sleeve and wit-h multipleinternal diameters, one of the internal diameters forming a shoulderengaging one end of said female terminal to hold said iterminal entirelyWithin said sleeve member against separation through one end thereofwhich abuts against the shoulder formed by the chamber adjacent theopening engaged by said second conducting element in said second sleeve,and holding means cooperating between said iirst and second resilientsleeves as well as with said skirt against the Wall of said first sleeveand said female-terminal-engaged sleeve member abutting the shoulder ofsaid secon-d sleeve to facilitate prevention of leakage between thesleeves to said male and female terminals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,981,460 Miller NOV. 20, 1934 2,037,630 Hudson Apr. 14, 1936 2,253,164Benander Aug. 19, 1941 2,466,997 Morris Apr. 12, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS116,004 Australia Oct. 9, 1942 490,013 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1938594,922 Great Britain Nov. 21, 1947 1,011,629 France Apr. 25, 1952

